Nine

My baby turned nine on Saturday.  Nine, people!  NINE!   The last year of single digits, ever.  In the Baha'i 

faith, it symbolizes completeness.  In Hinduism, it's "considered a complete, perfected, and divine number because it represents the end of a cycle in the decimal system."*   It's the number of Red Sox baseball great Ted Williams & Montreal Canadiens star Maurice Richard (two of my Daddy's favorite players).  

I'm officially the mother of a 'tween.  

We had a party for Sunshine at a local yogurt shop.   The owner happens to be one of the founding partners of the accounting firm that our PTA uses to do our EOY books & taxes.  He has been very generous with our PTA in the way of cash donations due to our PTA President's attention to detail when it comes to Spirit Nights at his school.  As it turns out, he's also the great uncle of one of Sunshine's friends.  

So, the girls gathered the day before Sunshine's birthday to celebrate our sweet girl.  Sunshine decided that she wanted to do doll hair & offered a choice of 4 different styles.  It was great to have them comment on her ability to do braids & buns for their dolls.  Obviously it's been a long time since I was 9, but I thought all girls knew how to braid.  Turns out it's not true!  So hair was done, dancing took place,  frozen yogurt & cake were eaten (not together) & much merriment ensued.  On the way home she informed me that it was the "best birthday ever!"

We spent her actual birthday at home so she could enjoy her birthday goodies & play.  We went to American Girl  & the Lego store on Sunday to spend some birthday money & then to Cheesecake Factory for a birthday lunch.  

Our Spring Break has ended & we're in the final stretch of the school year.  CRCT's (criterion-referenced competency tests---big in GA.  And prone to scandal in ATL.)  start this week.  Sunshine is a little nervous but should fare well.  She's already taken the Science portion as it was the test given to them to determine whether they were Science Team members.  Sadly, this doesn't count toward taking the actual Science CRCT.  

Also, Easter has come & gone and I'm still Sweet-n-Low free.  Did you realize that toothpastes have artificial sweeteners in them?  Not all, obviously, but a good deal of them.  I'm off to find a new brand!